Deviations And Other Such Works
by Devianta
Summary: This is where all my oneshots are going to be posted from now on.
1. PreMaturation Syndrome

A/N: Okay, folks, this is where I'm going to start keeping my oneshots. I have a feeling I'm going to be writing a few since I'm trying to work out all the ideas that are running wild through my head. So forgive me for not writing anything with a concrete story line/plot line, etc. I'm just trying to work things out.

Anyway, here's a seemingly random idea that came to me. I kind of decided to expand on some of the ideas I had in Boots but... that's not important right now. What is important is that I had started writing this about a day ago but had to stop when my mom told me to get off the computer. My original intention was to put this under humor but when I went back to finish it I wasn't in such a funny mood. So the ending is sad but the beginning is kind of funny (depending upon your sense of humor). So, I'm sorry is clashed so badly.

I don't own DP and if you think I'm lying the insane asylum is that way (points in random direction). Please read and review. And enough talk! Let's get this random story rolling!

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Pre-Maturation Syndrome

"Pre-Maturation Syndrome?" Sam asked curiously as Danny began explaining his newest dilemma.

"Yep, my ghost half is beginning to grow and it feels the need to express that fact by making my life even more difficult," Danny replied.

"Go figure," Tucker said as he played around with his newest PDA. "But you gotta admit that it's pretty funny. The name shortens to PMS!"

The three friends were sitting on a park bench. Danny sat between Sam and Tucker leaning back on the wooden seat trying to relax. However that was no easy feat seeing as how he wasn't feeling that great.

"It's not funny Tuck. My powers are going wacko and my parents have no clue what to do about it. That's why I'm here, remember? I'm supposed to stay away from helpless buildings and people until my parents can figure out what to do." Danny massaged his temples and started to take a deep breath but quickly stopped. A tickling sensation in his throat alerted him to the beginnings of a ghostly wail… the fifth one this morning.

"Ghostly wail again?" asked Sam as she watched Danny hold his breath, trying to swallow the attack.

Danny nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose, concentrating. After a moment he sighed. "I hate doing that."

"I hate seeing you like this," Sam whispered more to herself then anyone else. She blushed as Danny looked over at her with a love sick grin.

"Ah… You two are so cute," Tucker commented. The techno geek held up his PDA and snapped a picture of the couple before they could protest. "I think I'm going to make this my new wallpaper."

"Tucker!" Danny shouted in frustration. He glared at the device in his best friend's hand. Every time he and Sam had a "moment" these days Tucker always felt the need to point it out and take a picture! He was so fed up with that!

Suddenly the ghost boy's eyes started glowing a bright blue and…"Oops!"

"Hey!" Tucker said as he looked down at his frozen PDA and hand. "I had three more payments on this!"

"Sorry! But I…" Danny began but Tucker cut him off with a wave.

"Don't worry about it man. I know it's not your fault. Still… Did you have to freeze my hand too!"

"I'm sorry! I…" Danny began for a second time but he was cut off… again! This time it was Sam who jumped in before the boy could finish his sentence.

"Tucker stop making him feel guilty! He has enough on his plate!" the goth reprimanded as she crossed her arms and leaned over Danny to get into the other boy's face.

"I know but he froze my hand! How am I supposed to eat or type or go to the bathroom?" Tucker retorted. He waved his frozen hand around as he spoke.

"Well go unfreeze your hand," Sam answered coolly.

"How?"

"Umm… guys?" Danny said hesitantly.

"Well there's a hot dog vendor over there," Sam pointed to a stand over by a trail that lead through the park, "go ask of you can stick your hand in the grill."

"Guys?" Danny asked for the second time.

"And how am I supposed to explain how my hand got frozen? What am I supposed to say. 'Hey mister hot dog vendor! My hand got frozen by my half ghost best friend. Mind if I stick my hand in your grill?' Hello! That might not go over so well."

"Uh, guys!" Danny said a bit louder.

"What?!" they answered simultaneously. They looked vaguely annoyed at the interruption of their argument.

"I've got a problem," Danny said worriedly. He was shaking violently. His eyes glowed green and his hair was turning white. "They don't want to stay inside anymore…" He trailed off as a massive shudder overtook him. He doubled over in pain, a jolt of power striking his core in an attempt to escape his too small body. Danny bit his lip as he tried not to scream in agony.

Sam pulled Danny close. She held him, rubbing his back and kissing his head. "It's okay Danny. We won't let anything happen to you," she said soothingly. She looked up at Tucker. "Tucker, call Danny's parents."

With his good hand, Tucker pulled out a cell phone and dialed the Fenton's number. After a few rings they picked up. "Um… Mrs. Fenton? Yeah, this Tucker. Danny's having some problems… Yeah, I think his powers are trying to come out of him… Uh, huh… Yeah. Okay. We'll do that." He flipped the phone shut and stood up. "She said we should find a field or something," he said. He looked at Danny who was holding his stomach and looking increasingly like his ghost half. "Uh… Do you think he can walk?"

Sam shook her head. "We need to carry him."

Tucker nodded. He pulled Danny onto his back (piggy back style). "Let's go!"

They both took off running into the park towards the forest… or at least tried to. With Danny on his back it was hard for Tucker to run. The boy's weight pulled him down thus slowing their progress. The good news is that no one stopped them. The majority of the people who saw them were bright enough to get out of the way. They were all curious of course but they didn't stop the trio's progress.

Well, most of them didn't… Then again, the DP Phan Club was never cooperative when it came to Danny's need for space.

"Ah cool! It's Danny Phantom!" Dash announced to the other Phans who were gathered together for their daily meeting in the park's pavilion. The other members looked up at this comment and immediately ran over to surround and bother the threesome.

"Hey what's wrong with him?" one phan asked.

"Yeah, he doesn't look so well," said another.

"Why is he on Tucker's back?"

"Can he sign my shirt for me?"

The Phans peppered them with questions, comments, and concerns. They pressed inward touching Danny as they bombarded the group with their questions.

Tucker felt Danny shudder. The ghost kid's body suddenly became warmer then usual. "Uh, oh. Danny?" Tucker asked.

"I really don't feel good," Danny moaned.

"Okay kids!" Tucker addressed the crowd. "PMS'ing half ghost coming through!"

The crowd froze. "What?!" they asked collectively.

Tucker took advantage of their moment of confusion. He rushed forward and pushed through them. He finally broke through the gauntlet of crazed phans and started running faster than ever for the forest. Sam was right behind the two boys, checking to make sure they weren't followed. Oddly enough, the phans stayed put.

It took a few minutes but the three kids finally made it to the field. The place was gigantic. It was roughly about the size of a football field and had plenty of space.

"Where should we go?" Tucker asked Sam. He shifted his grip on Danny as the half ghost began sliding down his back. He pushed the boy back up causing Danny to come out of his doze long enough to get a better grip on his friend. "I swear, what I don't do for you," Tucker muttered.

Danny tried to grin but it came out as more of a grimace. "Thanks, Tuck."

"I think we should…" Sam started to answer Tucker but was cut short by a gasp from Danny.

"Ow!" Danny gasped in pain. "Ow! Ow! Put me down! Put me down!" he cried.

Tucker looked around frantically before seeing a large rock. He ran over and sat Danny down. Sam dashed over and stood beside Tucker.

"Danny, are you okay?" she asked.

All she got was a scream for an answer.

"I guess that's a no," she said.

By this time his hair was a snowy white. As two white rings popped up around his waist the transformation into his ghost form completed itself. His scream became even louder and more pain filled. He lay on the rock, writhing, resisting his powers sudden revolt against him.

"Tucker we've got to do something!" Sam suddenly said. "Call his parents again!"

"Okay, but I've got the feeling that they're not going to be able to do much…" Tucker said as he dialed the Fenton's number again.

Danny continued to scream.

"They're not answering," Tucker said after a minute.

"Try again!" Sam said. She balled her hands into fists and watched her boyfriend scream in unimaginable pain.

Finally Danny stopped screaming but didn't move.

"Danny?" Sam asked quietly. "Danny? Are you okay?"

His eyes shot open. "Sam… Tucker… Back up, now…" he commanded in short pained gasps.

"What?" Tucker asked.

"MOVE NOW!" Danny shouted unexpectedly as his screaming restarted. His normal ghostly glow suddenly flared like a bonfire that just had gasoline poured on it. It shot up into the sky as his cries escalated.

"DANNY!" Sam yelled but it was no use. Her voice was drowned out.

When the light died their friend had vanished.

"Tucker, where is he?" Sam asked.

"I don't know…"

"Guys?" a familiar echo-y voice asked nervously.

"Danny!" both of them yelled with relief. They turned around and ran towards him, arms wide open. Danny grinned sadly and watched as they fell right through him.

"What…"

Danny sighed. "They out grew me…"

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A/N: Now before any of you bother asking let me just tell you that Danny did die. His powers overcame him and killed him off. Like I said from the start, things get sad towards the end. So with that said, please review! Tell me if this is better than I think or if I'm right and this sucked. Thanks for reading! 


	2. Ice Cream

A/N: Hello, here's oneshot number two. This one is kind of weird, but I felt like writing it so I did. I hope you enjoy it. So please review and: Lights! Camera! Action!

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Ice Cream

Danny rubbed his aching arm as he leaned against the side of a building. It hurt to move but he knew that he had to fly back home soon. It was a quarter to six, dinner time. His parents would be calling him down soon and they might wonder what was up when he didn't come down. Thus, it was best if he got back soon.

Danny groaned as he tried to move his legs which he had pretty much been sitting on. They hurt. However, he had to move so he kept struggling to get them to support him. Finally, he managed to stand somewhat when…

"Hey, Mister Phantom…" a small, childish voice said hesitantly.

Danny looked up to see a small boy, maybe six or seven years old, standing in front of him. They boy had messy brown hair and curious brown eyes. He stood with his hands behind his back as he stared meekly up at Danny.

"Um… I was standing with my mommy and I saw you… Are you okay?" the boy asked shyly.

"I'll…" Danny stopped as he attempted to stand up straighter. He bit his lip as he felt his muscles tense painfully. "I'm fine."

The boy ignored his words. "You're hurt. Did you get the bad guy?"

"Yeah, I did."

"I know what makes me feel better when I'm hurt," the boy continued. He grinned. "Wait here." And with that the boy ran off across the street back to his mother, a black-haired woman in a jean skirt and green tank top. He poked his mother, said something, and jumped up and down excitedly when she nodded. The mother looked over her shoulder at Danny and smiled. She held up one finger, telling him to wait a moment.

Danny smiled back and nodded. He looked up at the sign that hung on the building the boy and mother were standing in front of. It read, "Carry's Ice Cream". Danny had a feeling he knew what the boy wanted to give him.

After a minute the boy ran back over to him holding an ice cream cone.

"Here you go, Mister Phantom! This'll make you feel better!" he said excitedly, jumping up and down as Danny reached out and took the cone from him.

"Thanks," Danny replied. The ice cream was vanilla, one of his favorites.

"Do you feel better?" asked the boy after a few seconds.

"Yes. Thanks. What's your name?" Danny asked. He ate more of the ice cream and watched the boy bounce up and down happily.

"Danny," said the boy, now known as Danny.

"Come on, Danny sweety," yelled the mother from across the street.

"Bye Mister Phantom!" Danny yelled as he ran across the street back to his mother.

"Bye and thanks for the ice cream!" the ghost boy called back. Danny looked down at this vanilla ice cream and quickly finished it off. Once he was done he carefully stood up and, much to his surprise, he felt better!

Danny winced as he took a step forward.

Okay, well… He felt almost better, but that was still pretty amazing.

"Wow, ice cream does work," he leapt into the air. "I'll have to remember that."

As he flew skyward he caught sight of 'Little Danny' and his mother. Danny grinned. "Thanks Danny, for the ice cream."

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A/N: So did you like it? Please tell me in a review! All you have to do is press the little blue button! 


	3. Needs

A/N: This fic is the exact opposite of the last one. It is depressing. It's also kind of... unusual. You'll have to see for yourself. So, uh, I don't believe anything more needs to be said. Please review and let's get this fic started!

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Needs

"Ladies and gentlemen, this meeting has been called to decide the fate of the half ghost, Daniel Phantom," the man at the head of the table said, addressing the business people sitting calmly around the long oval table. "The city has placed his custody and future into our hands feeling that we, the leaders of Amity Park, would best be able to put him to good use, not that his protecting the city wasn't a good use of his… talents, but he needs more direction and focus. I believe we can provide him with that.

"Thus I believe with that said we should commence this meeting. Mr. Smith," he said addressing a tall, blonde man to his right, "What do you think should be done with this ghost?"

The aforementioned ghost, who was chained and gagged inside a hard metal cage, growled. He had been fighting Johnny Thirteen when he had been captured by his own parents, much to his chagrin. However, the Guys in White interfered and before he knew or understood what was happening he was in the city's hands. They turned him over to the heads of the city which was kind of like the City Counsel. They more or less represented the various industries in Amity Park. It was up to them as to what was going to happen to him in the future.

This, of course, angered him. They were the very people who he protected. He flew around the city, taking shots for them, and they said he didn't have focus! He had more focus than they would ever have! They had no right to say that or to determine his fate! If anything he deserved that!

Mr. Smith straightened his tie and peered around the table at his fellow counsel. "I believe that he should continue defending people, however, I believe he could defend us better elsewhere. True, Amity Park does have a ghost problem, but it's nothing the government's Guys in White can't handle. No, I believe we should send the ghost to the military and have them put him to good use. His unique abilities would serve the country well."

No! No, no, no! He didn't kill people! He fought ghosts! He didn't want to be sent away to do that! He wanted to defend his country, true, but he wanted to defend it against ghosts, not people!

"Hmm… yes, yes. You have a point there," said the leader. "Mr. Wall, what do you think?"

Mr. Wall, a short, chubby man with spiky black hair, quickly stopped eating the donut he had been munching on. He wiped the crumbs from his mouth and glanced around the table. "Um… Mr. Smith brings up some good points, but I believe the boy should remain here in Amity Park. I agree with Mr. Smith when he says that the Guys in White can handle the ghost problem which is why I propose that the ghost be used as law enforcement. He could easily watch over the people without them knowing and with his other various powers, enforce the laws we stand for."

"That's ridiculous!" a tall raven haired woman said as she stood up. "You're both ridiculous!"

I agree, thought Danny. Again, he didn't want to harm anyone. He didn't mind helping out the police every now and again, but he would prefer to fight ghosts. At least he would be able to stay in Amity Park with that one though.

"That thing is a ghost. He can't stay anywhere! He's a menace to society! He's probably plotting to kill us right now! How do you, or any of you, know what he is thinking? How do you know he won't turn on you, use his powers against you? You've seen what he can do. You've seen what happens to buildings when he fights. Imagine what he could do to you if he ever got his dirty claws on your body. He could snap you like a twig. He could maim you beyond recognition. Do you want that to happen to you? To your loved ones? To anyone? No. Of course not. This is why I propose that we dispose of him, tear him apart molecule by molecule. The safest ghost to be around is not ghost at all. It's a pile of goop in a waste container. Save your loved ones. Destroy this foul creature that could harm all that you care about."

Yeah, Danny thought, and another human can harm your loved ones but I don't hear you screaming for their deaths.

"Very moving, Mrs. Cherub," the head complimented.

She's no cherub; she's a monster, Danny bitterly thought as the head moved to address the next in line.

"Ms. Pointe, what do you recommend?"

Another tall woman stood. She pushed her over sized glasses back up onto her nose and sniffed. "Mrs. Cherub brings up a good point when she says that the ghost could potentially…"

"Potentially? Don't you mean he is?!" Mrs. Cherub interrupted.

"That's enough Mrs. Cherub," the head warned.

"… potentially harm people," Ms. Pointe continued, "and I agree that he should be disposed of, but I believe that it should be done more subtly. I don't think that his remains should nothing but a pile of goop. They would need to be intact so that they could be used properly to better serve humanity.

"DNA tests have shown that he could be quite useful. His DNA is capable of locking genes together. With this ability we could alter the human body, take away unwanted traits, cure diseases, and save lives! For example, say that high cholesterol runs in your family. With his DNA we could change that. We could take away that gene so that future generations would never have to worry about that. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

"And there's more! There are other little tricks his DNA can pull. Two examples of this would be his ability to heal faster than any human and his body's ability to not produce an excess of oils. How are these important? Well, the first one should be obvious. Imagine falling off a building… and surviving. Imagine falling off again and not just surviving but standing up and walking away as if nothing had happened. Ladies and gentlemen if we could make it so every human had this trait there would be fewer deaths. Fewer families would be torn apart by tragic accidents," she paused for effect, to allow this information to sink in.

"The second example is a little less obvious. The human body, especially in the teen years, produces an excess of oil. This in turn causes acne. Well, this little ghost boy's body regulates that. Imagine your children not spending hours getting ready each morning. Imagine not having to spend hundreds of dollars each year on acne products that sometimes don't even work. If we could alter the human body to manage things like this on its own then could save time, money, and our children's pride.

"There is much that this ghost's DNA could do for us. It would be a crime to turn him into nothing more than a pile of goop simply out of fear. If we must destroy him then I say we at least put his remains to good use. After all, would you like to condemn your family to death by disease or accident when you could have saved them?"

Ms. Pointe sat down. The room remained dead silent for several moments before the head stood up again. "Thank you, Ms. Pointe, for that insight."

Yes, Ms. Pointe, thank you for saying that I would do the world more of a service by being dead than by being alive!

Danny shifted in his cage, trying to get comfortable. He failed. Thus he resorted to growling in frustration.

Mrs. Cherub noticed and turned to the man sitting next to her. He turned to glare at the ghost boy. "Told you he was an animal," she whispered to the man. The man glared at her before turning back to the head of the table.

"Okay, and now for our last speaker before I give my views," said the leader. He turned to the man beside Mrs. Cherub. "Mr. Zane, would you kindly give your views on the situation?"

Mr. Zane stood up, cleared his throat, and then sneezed. Nobody spoke as he snatched a tissue out of his pocket and blew his nose. After several rather gross bodily noises he was finally ready to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have in the past hour or so heard many different view points as to what should be done in regards to the infamous ghost boy. Some say keep him alive and have him guard our people. Some say kill him and perhaps make use of his remains. All of you brought up good points and I respect your opinions, but I'm afraid that I disagree with all of you.

"There is a saying that goes 'live and let live'. The phrase means, in short, don't destroy something or someone unless there is a need to. You may argue that Phantom needs destroyed because he could potentially harm all of us, kill us even. And yes, you are right. He could. But he has not shown a will to such. Don't punish him for a crime he has yet to commit. Isn't that a philosophy that this country was founded on? Are we…"

"I believe that you have forgotten something, Mr. Zane," Mrs. Cherub interrupted. "HE'S A GHOST!"

"That is quite enough Mrs. Cherub!" the leader shouted. "And that is the third time you interrupted while someone was speaking. I will have to ask you to leave."

"Excuse me, Mr. Fallow, but you too are forgetting something. Don't you remember who I am and more importantly," she narrowed her eyes, "who I know?"

Mr. Fallow, the leader, stared her straight in the eye. "Yes, I do remember. Now, if I remember correctly, I asked you to leave."

Mrs. Cherub sneered, grabbed her handbag, and stomped childishly out of the room. She slammed the door on her way out. There was a moment of silence. Someone snorted in an attempt not to laugh. Danny made a rude hand gesture at the door.

"Continue Mr. Zane," Mr. Fallow instructed as he sat back down.

"Thank you sir," Mr. Zane said before he returned to his speech. "Mrs. Cherub did bring up the next point I wanted to discuss. Phantom is a ghost but he is also human."

Several members gasped.

"It's true. I believe Ms. Pointe forgot to mention that in her speech on how Phantom's DNA could be useful," he said as his gaze fell on the woman.

"Now I don't feel it necessary to disclose who this boy is the child of, I believe that would be his choice, but I would like to say that he would be missed very much by his family. He is well-loved where he comes from and he probably wants to return to that love, not be torn away from it.

"With that said, I would like to ask you a few questions. I think you can answer them on your one. The first question is if your child was Phantom would you want him torn from your home and heart? My second question is do you think it is right to destroy someone so young regardless of what they have done? My third question is even if a child has harmed another human do you think it is right to force them to go into battle against other humans. I ask this question because Phantom has chosen to fight ghosts, not humans. I wonder why that is. My last question is if you choose to send him away to do other work or dispose of him will you be able to return to your families and look at your children, if you have any, and live with that decision.

"I believe it is apparent what it is I want. So, I shall thank you all for listening to me. I hope you make the right decision for all of us."

Mr. Zane sat down.

Thank heavens, someone actually wants me set free, Danny thought with relief. Maybe there was hope after all.

"Very heartfelt, Mr. Zane," Mr. Fallow commented before he stood up. "And now I believe it is time for my remarks.

"First off, I would like to thank all of you for coming and speaking before us today. Your opinions were well thought out and you brought up many good points.

"Something else I would like to say, or rather ask, is does anyone wish to change their suggestion now that we know that Phantom is not all ghost?"

He paused to allow the members of the counsel to speak. Nobody moved.

"Well, I guess then that we are going to remain with the options that we have brought forth. Very well.

"Since there really isn't more to be said I believe it is time to vote. Papers will be passed around as well as write utensils. Take one each as it comes to you. Write the option that you have chosen then wait for the hat to passed around when everyone is finished."

Mr. Fallow sat down and pulled out some paper and pens from his briefcase. He passed them to his right. Once everyone got one the members began writing on their slips of paper. Once that was done a hat was passed around the table. Mr. Fallow took the hat when it returned to him.

"And now to see what this child's fate shall be," he said soberly as he pulled the papers out one by one.

Please be set free, thought Danny desperately. His heart was in his throat as he watched the first paper unfolded and read.

"The first paper says 'set free'," Mr. Fallow said as he read the ballot.

Yes!

"The second says 'destroy'," came the leader's voice.

No!

"The third says 'set free'. That is two for free and one for destroy."

Yes!

"The fourth says 'destroy'. That is two for free and destroy."

No!

"And now for the final ballot. It reads… 'whoever has the majority vote'," said Mr. Fallow, puzzled by the response. "Hmm… this poses a problem since we have a tie."

Crap, now what? thought Danny from inside his cage.

"Well, actually we don't have a tie," Mr. Smith said. "Mrs. Cherub never voted."

"True but she is dismissed from her duties due to her behavior," Mr. Fallow answered as he scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well… Would anyone like to change their vote to help make a decision. I'm sure none of you want to stay here longer than necessary or come back tomorrow and debate on this subject some more."

For a minute the room was completely silent. Nobody spoke or moved. Then, with a sigh, Ms. Pointe raised her hand.

"Change my vote to destroy. I have no sentimentality for the ghost anyway," she said and walked out of the room.

Mr. Zane gave her a disgusted look and the others looked shocked. But after a pause they shrugged and gathered their things.

"Mr. Fallow, surely there is something you can do," Mr. Zane asked pleadingly.

"I'm afraid not. The die has been cast in favor of the grave for the child. I wish there was more that could be done but there isn't. I'm sorry for both of you," the leader replied. He patted the distressed man on the back as he left. "You know what must be done."

"I do," he said quietly.

Danny felt his cage being picked up by the guards that had walked in at the conclusion of the meeting. He was shaking with fury, fear, and more fury. Tears ran down his cheeks. Suddenly he heard a shot rang out and watched as Mr. Zane fell to the floor dead. He had tried to save him.

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A/N: So what do you think? Was it too weird? Was it good? What? Please tell me in a review! Thanks! 


	4. Marionette Master

A/N: This is probably one of the shortest things I have ever written. Sorry. I was working on my ability to describe sensations and appearances. Not sure if I succeeded. I guess it's up to you to tell me that. So please read and review! Oh, and the episode that this is scene is from is Secret Weapons.

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Marionette Master

He felt a warm, liquid-y feeling wash over him, a feeling akin to stepping into a hot shower. The comforting, somewhat pleasurable sensation started at the top of his head a quickly slid down his body to the bottoms of his feet. He would have sighed but he had very little control over his body at this point.

The black fog that had taken over his vision when he dove began fading into a pearly white haze. Tiny little sparks flitted to a fro for a moment before the haze parted and a blurry scene flashed before him.

While his vision cleared his body, which had originally felt like jelly, began to flow down and fill in the warmth. His body began tingling as his cold form connected with the warmth. When the connection was complete the coldness disappeared, pushed out by the heat of the living.

For a bare second he felt a slight push at the back of his mind, his host trying to free themselves from this entanglement. He easily brushed their insistent prodding away. The host submitted grudgingly.

The blurry vision finally cleared. The body smiled at the marionette master's whim. The mouth opened and words spilled out.

"Hi! I'm Tucker Foley! Don't let the PDA and glasses fool you though. I'm a stud."

The master, satisfied, detached himself from the warmth. His vision blurred and went black. His form felt like jelly as it de-solidified and flowed back out of his host. A sudden chill overtook him and if he had been tangible he would have shivered.

Finally, as the last of his essence exited the warm flesh of his host he began reshaping himself. First his head and shoulders took shape. Snowy white hair first. Then green eyes flashed as tan skin surrounded them. Small, thin lips parted and released a pseudo breath. More white fog condensed and formed a black jumpsuit-wearing chest and stomach. Finally the legs appeared and the marionette master finished his solidification.

The host glared at his former captor. "I hate it when you do that."

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A/N: So... Did I do well? Please push the little blue button and tell me! 


	5. Rhymes With Death

A/N: Hello people! Guess what I just wrote! A oneshot! But you already knew that. Anyway, here is another installment to my oneshot story. It's rather... dark. But I like it. Anyway, please read and review... I know at least one of you will like this. So let the drama begin!

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Rhymes With Death

Danny sat on the front steps of his school. It was a cloudy day, the sun hidden behind a blanket of nearly black storm clouds. The air crackled with the energy of the coming storm. The wind slowly picked up and the leaves of the trees rustled against each other. Other than that the world was fairly still and quiet.

As the first drops of rain began to fall Danny got up and started walking towards his home. He picked up a stick from the ground and dragged it along after him. It was that type of day, melancholy.

"Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. Guess I'll go to the garden and eat some worms," sang a sulky female voice.

Danny whirled around and watched as a slightly translucent girl stumbled along behind him, dragging her feet on the ground with her hands behind her back.

"Gulp goes one. Gulp goes two. Gulp goes number three," she continued to sing. The girl had blond hair pulled back into pigtails and haunting green eyes that stared sorrowfully ahead. She wore a simple blue dress that reached down to her knees. Her shoes were blue, like the dress, with simple gold buckles latching the things onto her petite feet.

As Danny stopped walking so did she and when he stared at her she stopped her song and stared back at the confused half ghost.

"Uh… Can I help you?" he asked warily. After all, it was obvious that this girl was a ghost. You know, you could see through her and all.

"Nobody likes me," she answered mournfully. "Everybody hates me."

Danny gave her a sideways look. "Uh, sorry 'bout that, but I can't help you. Maybe you should go back to the ghost zone where you belong."

Suddenly the girl underwent an unfortunate transformation. Red light flooded her green eyes and her blond hair turned black. The girl's dress became tattered and grey and her blue shoes fell away as her feet gained claws.

Danny, seeing this, quickly transformed into ghost form. He took on a fighting stance and waited for the transformation to complete itself.

When the now grotesque girl finally finished she looked at the ghost boy and laughed. "Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me," her blood red eyes narrowed mischievously. "Think I'll take you to the graveyard and eat you alive."

"Ew," replied Danny, disgusted. "And now it's really no wonder why nobody likes you."

As quick as lightning, which was now flashing across the raging sky, he struck out at the evil ghoul. His fist connected with her arm, knocking her sideways. The demon righted herself though and retaliated by raking her claw-like hands at her attacker. The vicious claws raked the ghost boy's side leaving several parallel cuts on him. He gripped his side and sent an ecto blast back while jumping out of the way as she lashed out a second time. The blast hit its target.

"Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. Think I'll take YOU TO THE GRAVEYARD AND EAT YOU ALIVE!" the demon roared in rage.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get a grip, gruesome," Danny retorted as he prepared another ecto blast. However, he quickly stopped this action as he realized that his surroundings were changing. "What the…"

The street beneath them morphed from perfect concrete squares into a rough dirt trail that wound its way around grassy patches where houses and other buildings used to stand. On the grassy patches were gravestones and on those gravestones were peoples' names. Periodically, trees towered up, their branches scraping against the dreary sky.

A particularly loud crash of thunder brought about the rainfall. Sheets of black rain fell heavily on the morbid land and soaked the hero and his enemy.

Again, the demon girl laughed. "Jack be nimble. Jack be quick. Jack jump over the candlestick."

"What?!" Danny yelled, confused and now scared. "What did you do? Where are we?"

Danny glanced around looking for anything familiar or safe. He couldn't find anything.

The demon continued to cackle. "Oh yes, Danny be nimble. Danny be quick. Danny jump over the candlestick."

Danny turned back to her in time to see a flaming torch appear out of no where and fly towards him. "Whoa!" He jumped high into the air, avoiding the fatal collision. "Where did that come from?"

The demon girl continued, still, to laugh uncontrollably.

"You know that's getting really annoying," Danny commented. "Why don't you chill?" he asked as he swooped down, eyes blazing blue, and froze the demon girl where she stood. She screeched angrily as she watched herself turn to ice.

"There. That should do it," the ghost boy said as he landed behind the frozen demon.

Naturally, that wasn't the end.

The ice slowly cracked and the demon spun around. Her red eyes blazed in fury.

"Humpty dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty dumpty had a great fall…" she began but didn't finish. A strong green blast cut her off mid-rhyme.

"Yeah, I know the rhyme and I don't care. What I don't know but do care about is who, or better yet, what are you? Where are we? And why did you bring me here? And what's with the stupid rhyming?!"

The demon didn't answer. Instead, she picked herself up and continued the rhyme as if she hadn't been interrupted. "All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put humpty dumpty back together again."

"No answer, huh? Fine, have it your way," Danny replied and shot several more ecto blasts at her.

The demon waved her hand and knocked the blasts away from her. "Ring around the rosy," she began while she backhanded Danny. "A pocket fully of posies." He stumbled backwards. "Ashes, ashes. We all fall down." Danny tripped on his own feet and fell onto his backside. The demon did as well.

"Ugh! What in the world?!" His eyes widened in sudden understanding. "Wait! You can make stuff happen by twisting nursery rhymes?!"

In response the demon cackled some more.

"So that's all you can do. Cackle and twist nursery rhymes. Well, I'm sorry, Sicko, but I can do so much more!"

With this said, Danny back flipped up and shot several more ecto blasts at her. Again, she brushed them off. She charged at him, claws raised, but Danny was ready. His hands glowed blue and with a single shot he froze her solid again. Then, while she was frozen in place, he took a deep breath and unleashed his ghostly wail.

The waves of raw power cut through the ice and sent the demon hurtling backwards where she hit a tree. Around her tombstones and chunks of dirt and grass flew at and past her. After thirty some odd seconds the attack ended. The demon roared as thunder clashed leaving Danny nearly deaf.

Danny fell to his knees both from the sheer weight of the sound and exhaustion he felt from having just used his most powerful attack.

Unfortunately, the demon felt no such weakness. Instead, she seemed even stronger.

"How did…?" he started but stopped as he watched her run at him. His green eyes widened and he quickly turned tail and ran.

After a minute he saw a large gravestone, one big enough for him to hide behind. He dodged a few times to throw off his pursuer and dove behind it. To be on the safe side, he turned invisible.

Just need to catch my breath, he thought to himself. I just need one moment.

"Here's the church. Here's the steeple. Open the door and see all the people," the demon growled.

Wow, Danny thought, she can do more than cackle.

"Here's the graveyard. Here's the tombstone," she said as she approached his hiding place. "Strike the rock and see the ghost!"

One long, sharp claw came down unexpectedly and struck Danny on the head. Falling back, ectoplasm staining his vision, he lost his concentration and became visible.

"Trick or treat. Halloween! Give me something good to eat!"

"It's September! Not October!" Danny groaned as he slowly tried to get to his feet. The world spun around him.

The demon stalked closer to him.

Danny finally got to his feet and, with a lot of effort, managed to float up into a tree that stood about five feet away from the demon.

The demon grinned. "Rock a-bye baby on a tree top. When the wind blows the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks the cradle will fall and down will come baby cradle and all."

Danny, figuring out how she wanted him to come down, quickly began shooting as many blasts at her as he could. Most of them missed, much to his dismay.

"Rock a-bye ghostie on the tree top," she sang cruelly.

"I'm not coming down!" he yelled, punctuating each word with a blast.

"When the wind blows the cradle will rock," she continued.

The wind picked up, causing the tree to shake.

"When the bough breaks," came her next words.

The tree branch snapped under Danny, but instead of allowing himself to fall he grabbed the branch above him and clung to it.

"And down comes baby cradle and all," she finished anyway.

"Huh! Guess your little rhyme didn't work that time, huh, Ugly!" Danny mocked.

The demon merely grinned. "Danny Phanny clung to a wall. Danny Phanny had a great fall," she began.

Danny's eyes widened in fear as the tree limb he clung to broke. Before he could right himself he fell to the ground, the tree branch landing on top of him.

He lied there panting in pain and exhaustion. He screamed as a single beam of light split into two and traveled up and down his body.

"And all of the ghost's powers and all of the ghost's quips couldn't put him back together again," she finished.

Danny lay still on the ground. With great relish she advanced on him. As she got closer the storm calmed down till it ceased. She gently picked him up and angled his body so that his head lulled back, revealing his neck.

"Trick or treat. Halloween. Give me something good to eat."


	6. Unspeakable Horrors

A/N: I bet you're happy. An update on my last multi chapter story and a new oneshot all in the same day, practically within the same hour! Wow! I haven't done this in a long while. Anyway, you're going to hate me for writing this. It's another kill-Danny fic. I have a tendency to write these, don't I? So, please don't hate and please read and review it! Please! And... enough begging. Let's get this show on the road!

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Unspeakable Horror

He opened his mouth to scream as the flames leapt up in front of him, but no sound came out. He felt like he was a part of one of those silent movies where the black and white characters gestured to get their point across, but otherwise were unable to communicate with their audience. He was in that sad of a position.

Danny sat chained to the floor of his room watching the place become in engulfed in flames and smoke. Being part ghost, not to mention the 'king' of the ice world, he as able to withstand the heat to some degree, but his powers would soon fail him. The chains were ghost-proof.

The ghost child yanked at said chains once more, trying desperately to escape his fate. It did no good. Soon the whole room would be on fire and there was nothing more he could do. At least, his family was safe.

The arsonist, the one who started this whole mess, hovered outside his window, taunting him. She stuck her tongue out. She made faces at him. She gave him the finger, all from the comfort and security of the outside world. He hated her.

Not only had she jinxed him, and through her ghost powers thus made him mute, but now she had the nerve to kill him as she floated out there making fun of him. And the only person who could give him his voice back was her, the caster of the spell. The only other villain that could top her was Plasmius, but other than that she took the cake. Danny hated her with every ounce of his being.

The flames flared high and the ceiling began to cave, crashing to the floor with a resounding "BANG!" Danny tried to gasp but ended up choking on smoke instead. He coughed and gagged. His chest began to hurt and his vision swam. His eyes watered and every molecule of him wished to be outside. The ghost laughed from her place beyond the window. She found his pain amusing.

She had from the moment she saw him, lying on his bed not two hours ago, wanted to see his face contorted with pain and fear. He was so pretty, but he would be prettier if in utter agony. So she devised this plan to make him this way and now she was witnessing the fruits of her labor. He was beautiful.

The flames broke through Danny's icy defense. He silently howled in pain as the fire scorched his skin. It climbed up his leg and attacked his stomach and chest. It singed his hair and lit him up like a Roman candle. The ghostly girl hovered outside and watched him die. She watched his unspeakable horror.


	7. Necropsy

A/N: This is a really odd one, but I think it speaks volumes. I should also warn you that this fic is the product of my desire to procrastinate. I really don't wanna do my homework. Thus, I wrote this. So here it is! Another kill-Danny fic! My millionth! So please read and review! Oh, and I apologize if I gross you out. That was not my intention.

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Necropsy

Have you ever heard those stories where a person, while having an operation or something, gets to hover over their body while it's being taken apart? While it's being cut up? Sliced up? Pulled apart piece by disgusting piece?

Well it's happening to me except that I'm dead. I'm hovering over my dead body while my parents cut me open. I'm getting the pleasure (note the sarcasm) of watching my mother taking a scalpel and running through my skin, slicing me open like a science experiment, which as far as she is concerned, I am. My body never changed back even after I took my last breath. It still held onto my ghost form the same way some animals will hold onto objects they are being killed over. It held onto my secret with a death grip.

Now my mother is examining my remains, pulling back flesh to look inside and see what it is that she killed. She's finding out that I did indeed have a stomach and… wow! a full digestive tract. She's looking deeper and learning that my bones rather excellently mimicked a human's. My infrastructure was indeed sturdy and could withstand more than fifty times my own weight being pressed down on me. She's taking samples of my ectoplasm to examine later. She's cutting my heart loose from the rest of my body.

But she still hasn't gotten to the core of the issue.

I was sitting under a tree when it happened, when my parents attacked. I was in ghost form. I'd just finished some "independent practicing". In other words, Sam and Tucker weren't there. I was just lying around, enjoying the breeze when BANG! I jumped up and looked around. I couldn't see anything. Where had that blast come from? Then a second shot was fired. It hit me in the back and sent my flying into a tree a few feet away. My head was spinning. I couldn't see. Then I felt something sharp poke my neck. The next thing I knew I was staring at myself. Now I'm here.

And I'm really hating this out-of-body experience. I mean, what am I now? Am I a ghost? Am I a spirit? What am I?! I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to watch my mother take my body apart anymore! I don't like this! I don't like the fact that I can't stop it. I don't like the fact that she doesn't know and I can't tell her. I don't like watching myself be mutilated. It's gross!

I don't know how much longer I can take this. She's beginning to run tests to see how much residual energy is left in me. She's injecting some sort of reddish colored liquid into my body. Little sparks of power are running up and down me like I'm a malfunctioning power line. It's kind of weird to watch and yet… I'm getting a bad feeling from this. Something's going to happen.

Someone's coming downstairs. Mom's turning around and… it's Jazz! She's yelling at mom, telling her to stop dissecting me, that it's wrong. Mom's shaking her head. She doesn't understand. How can she? I'm just a ghost. I don't matter. Jazz is crying and screaming. She's throwing her arms up in the air and shrieking. Mom's freaked out. Why is her daughter getting so upset over a ghost?

The sparks are getting bigger now and gathering at my waist.

Mom's trying to calm Jazz down. She's got a box of tissues, but Jazz won't take them. Jazz is asking mom why she hates me so much. Mom says it's because I'm a menace. I cause trouble, or rather, I caused trouble. I certainly don't anymore!

The sparks have formed two rings. They're drifting apart.

Mom's asking Jazz why she cares so much for me. Jazz says it's because I'm special to her. She says that I do matter. I'm not just a ghost and I should be treated with more respect. I'm also not a trouble maker. I try to save people. I'm a hero.

The rings grow brighter as they reveal more of my human side. Eventually the lights attract the attention of my mother and Jazz. They look up and gasp. A human corpse has replaced the body of a ghost. Danny Fenton has replaced Danny Phantom. Red blood is pouring off the dissection table. It drips onto the floor the same way Jazz's tears did. Mom screams and covers her mouth. She can't believe what she's seeing. Jazz breaks down into tears again. She looks like she's about to be sick. She looks over at mom again. She tells her the full truth. Danny Phantom was her brother.

Mom goes back upstairs. The dissection is complete. She's done. She's learned all she can learn from me.

And I think I've seen enough.

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A/N: It wasn't too bad was it? I'm really sorry if I disturbed you. So, please review and tell me how I did. I really want to know your thoughts on this one. Thanks! 


	8. Conclusions

A/N: Hello! I'm procrastinating again! This is the result. I must warn you though. This is a bit different from the stuff I usually write. It's a sort of parody/satire/randomly humorous oneshot. I hope you like it anyway. So please read and review! You know the rest!

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Conclusions

'Today is a day of conclusions', the Ghost Writer typed. 'There are no beginnings. There are no middles. There are only endings.'

The ghost tapped his lips, grinned, and continued writing.

'Jack died from poison Vlad snuck into his drink. The end.'

'Maddie went insane with grief and was taken to an insane asylum. The end.'

'Jazz read a psychology book, decided the loss of parents wasn't enough to get upset over, and went to college using her parents' money. The end.'

'Danny went on a vendetta against Vlad, killed him, and went to prison. The end.'

'Sam tried to set Danny free, failed, and committed suicide. The end.'

'Tucker shrugged at the others' drama, became rich, and lived happily ever after somewhere far away from a ghost zone portal. The end.'

'Vlad's already dead so we don't need to discuss him. The end.'

'Dash and Paulina got married, had ten children, and didn't worry about where Danny Phantom went. The end.'

'Valerie fell off her jet sled while searching for Danny Phantom and thus died when her skull got cracked open from hitting a sharp rock on the ground. The end.'

'Mr. Lancer happily and ignorantly continued his teaching career. The end.'

'Star got more make up since there are so many funerals to attend these days. The end.'

'The Guys in White decided it wasn't worth it and got new jobs at the local food store as baggers. The end.'

'Freakshow became best friends with Maddie in the insane asylum. The end.'

'Skulker got blown up when his suit suddenly and inexplicably exploded. The end.'

'Ember got smothered by rotten tomatoes when her new number didn't go over so well. The end.'

'Someone finally atomized Technus for talking too much. The end.'

'Nocturn, Undergrowth, and that random storm-related ghost whose name escapes me got together and went bowling. They haven't been heard from since. The end.'

'Frostbite and his followers decided that Danny Phantom wasn't the best ghost ever (Phangirls scream in protest and attack author who quickly deletes them only to find that they keep coming back… seven years later we're still at it… and never mind this is taking too long. Forget that this was even mentioned.) and decides to worship the Ghost Writer instead. The end.'

'Amorpho changes into Danny Phantom and takes up his place in society as the local hero even though he previously decided that it was too difficult to be him. The end.'

'The Ghost King turns to dust from being left in his coffin for too long. The end.'

'The Lunch Lady and the Box Ghost get married and have a kid who keeps them so busy that they forget the world around them. The end.'

'Johnny Thirteen, his shadow, and Kitty get married then divorce and then get married again, but they change their minds and get a divorce, but wait! they marry again… and this pattern continues for the rest of eternity. The end.'

'The Fright Knight decides he needs labor so he asks the Ghost Writer for a job. He's hired and now works in the library. The end.'

'Walker accidently locks himself in one of the jail cells. His guards are too busy and too careless to notice. Nobody misses him. The end.'

'That small little kid who keeps dressing up as various things (ex: astronaut, cowboy, pirate, etc.) runs away with Danielle Phantom to an excluded part of the ghost zone so that they can avoid the pestering of adults and other authority figures. The end.'

'Pandora and Dora team up to contain all mythological creatures and other strange beings so they no longer annoy the Ghost Writer with all their racket. The end.'

'Lydia becomes jealous of Maddie for getting all of Freakshow's attention so she kills her and kidnaps Freakshow. She takes him to a church, marries him, but then kills him out of frustration because he keeps staring at Sam's mother (whatever her name is). Lydia then takes up a job as a secretary for Jazz who has become a successful psychologist. The end.'

'Spectra and Bertrand get eaten by Wulf. The end.'

'Wulf chokes on Spectra and Bertrand. Thus, when local authorities find him he is easy to capture. They take him to a local petting zoo where he stays for the rest of eternity. The end.'

'Pointdexter sees Wulf at the petting zoo and becomes inspired. He takes up a job at the petting zoo and lives happily there with his new friend. The end.'

'Klemper sees the two friends at the petting zoo and decides to join them. He takes up a job as an ice maker at the polar bear exhibit. The end.'

'The Observants become tired of their job. So they join the Guys in White at the local food store only they become cashiers instead of baggers. The end.'

'Clockwork decides that he's better off without those idiots anyway, but then after a while becomes lonely. So he moves to Tahiti where Tucker lives and becomes his consultant. The end.'

'Dork Danny stays in his thermos where he belongs. The end.'

'All other minor ghosts and cameos are quickly forgotten. They fall into oblivion and are never heard from again. The end.'

As the Ghost Writer types this his grin widens until it consumes his face. With plenty of pomp and flurry he types his last line.

'Desiree floats by the library looks in, falls in love with the Ghost Writer, and decides to grant him his wish to become the new King of the Ghost Zone…'

A crown appears on the Ghost Writer's head. He laughs manically as his current chair becomes a throne.

'Desiree becomes his queen and they live happily ever after…'

The library becomes a palace with books for walls. Desiree appears at the Ghost Writer's side. Both cackle as the ghost zone and all its occupants fall under their control.

'The end.'


	9. Spring Cleaning

A/N: Really, really short oneshot. I'm sorry about that, but I'm running low on ideas. I feel as if I've used up a large amount of my ideas. As soon as I finish Swan Song I doubt I'm going to be updating much. I hope you guys don't hold that against me.

Surprisingly enough this has a moral. I state it at the end. Not too many deep meanings this time. So, please read and review! I always have and always will love hearing from you!

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Spring Cleaning

"What about this, Mads?" asked Jack as he held up a weapon. The shiny metallic surface flashed threateningly in the basement's light. Maddie turned to her husband, glanced at the machine, and shook her head.

"Nope. Too dangerous," she answered tiredly. She pointed to her left. "Put it in the recycling pile."

Her husband tossed the weapon over to the quickly growing pile and returned to rummaging through the weapons vault. He quickly found more 'Too Dangerous' weapons and, as before, tossed them.

After a few hours the couple stood and stretched. Maddie ran a hand through her red hair and moaned. "I can't believe we made so many of these things. Before it seemed as if we never had enough."

Jack nodded and grinned. "It certainly did seem so. And speaking of not enough, can I have some more cookies?"

At his suggestion, his wife pulled out a bag of sweets and handed it to the large man. He quickly and efficiently devoured them. Maddie smiled at her husband. If she wasn't making weapons, she was making pastries.

The ghost hunters perked up as they heard the clatter of boots on the tile floors. A second later a small, white haired ghost appeared before them. His green eyes flashed excitedly as he glanced at both of them. Apparently their son had a good afternoon.

"Hey! Whatcha doing?" he asked as he looked around. He turned and saw the two piles of weapons and frowned. "Why are you getting rid of this stuff?"

"Well we can't keep it around, honey. We don't want you to get hurt on all this stuff," his mother replied.

"Yeah, we did enough of that already. You know, we shot at you, nearly dissected you, stalked you, disabled your powers, shrank you down to barely an inch tall, captured you in the Fenton Thermos and the Fenton Weasal and…"

Maddie and her son grimaced as Jack ran down the list of all the stuff they had down to the poor ghost… er, half ghost.

"Dad, I get the point. But you don't have to throw it all away. I've lived in this house with all this stuff for years now and I've been fine. Really!"

Maddie touched his shoulder. "But, Danny, that's kind of the point. We've put you at risk for years. Years! We don't want to keep putting you through this and since you don't want to get rid of your ghost powers…" She sighed. "We don't really have a choice. Sweetie, I just want you to be safe."

Danny smiled sadly. "I know, but I am going to need some of this stuff. Sam and Tucker and sometimes I need to use these for ghost hunting. And what about you guys? You know my enemies don't spare you. You need to be able to defend yourselves."

Maddie and Jack exchanged glances. They shrugged. "True… Ah, I say we keep it then!" Jack exclaimed and grabbed a pile of weapons and ran off.

Maddie on the other hand looked more hesitant. "Are you sure?" she asked her son.

Danny nodded. "I'm sure.

"And by the way, Tucker wanted to know whether or not I could sleep over tonight."

"Sure! Just remember you have to do your homework tomorrow…"

She was cut short by a yelp and sickening thud. Maddie gasped. "Jack?! Are you alright?"

No answer.

Danny and his mother swiftly ran down the hallway and found Jack lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. He'd fallen and cracked his head on the table as well as impaled himself on one of the sharper weapons that resembled a sword. Thus, he proved that teachers are right when they say not to run with scissors.

And so the Fenton household was rid of both an idiot and a large amount of weapons. The end.

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A/N: I absolutely can not resist killing Jack. I just can't. If he ever enters a fic of mine I must destroy him. It's simply built into my nature. Anyway, what did you think? Please push the little blue button and tell me in a review! Thanks! 


	10. Happiness

A/N: Wow, I really did it this time. How I managed to take a good topic like happiness and make it so sad is beyond me. But this was fun to write. I really like it. It made me think.

So, I would like to thank DPSG-1 for inspiring this idea. I got it after I read her fic "I Had You" (btw, read this. It's really good).

Please read and review and let's get this show on the road!

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Happiness

He lied still, afraid to move both because of the pain and because he was afraid she would stop. He was comfortable, satisfied. He had always wished he would die in his sleep, but this was okay too. He felt safe for the first time since he had gotten his powers. He was ready to die.

Sam brushed Danny's hair from his face. His head lay in her lap, his hands folded on his stomach as he breathed shallowly. If it weren't for the ectoplasm leaking through the bandages and pooling at his sides, she would think that they were in the park on a bright sunny day, resting under a tree after a picnic. She desperately wished she could believe that. She wished she could lose her sanity for a moment and believe in that dear fantasy. Almost anything was better than believing in this dreadful reality.

And what if she did let herself go? How would it make a difference? Either way she would make him happy, happy in his last moments. And she would be happy too. She would be forever happy with him at her side in her blessed fantasy and that was as close to him as she could get when death separated them.

So she continued to play with his silvery hair, running her fingers through the thick, soft locks as she contemplated this. He sighed in contentment and she sighed with him. A grin of pleasure graced his previously pained face. A grin of grim satisfaction graced her shadowed face that formerly wore a look of tragic loss.

Danny kept his eyes closed as he reveled in the loving touch. Memories flashed on the inside of his closed eyelids as he watched his life pass him by. He realized he had very little to regret. He was pleased by that. Some many people died with unfulfilled desires and yet, here he was passing on to the other side with almost everything that he could ever want. The only thing he didn't get to do was make Sam his bride. But they would have eternity in heaven to do that.

Sam ran her right thumb over his features, tracing his face gently. She brushed his lips and stroked his cheek and caressed the bridge of his nose. Her thumb moved over his closed eyes and she could feel the slight twitches beneath them. It was as if he were asleep and dreaming. Perhaps he was. For a moment Sam thought she would cry again. Her Danny was dreaming of his life, the life he would soon leave. He dreamt of leaving her. She didn't want to believe that. No, he was going to stay. Yes. He was going to stay with her forever.

Danny felt a change in Sam. She seemed calmer than she was a few seconds ago. He thought it strange, but dismissed it. These were his last moments. He could feel death coming closer to him. He wanted his last seconds to be doubtless and pure. There was no room for worry now.

Sam felt the back of the tree she was resting against. It felt good and warm. The sun was so bright and cheery. The perfect day for a picnic. And indeed they were having a picnic… or at least they had one. When did a picnic end? Was it after you ate or when you went home? Well, at any rate, they'd eaten. The food had been excellent. They'd had fried chicken (well, Danny had fried chicken and Sam had tofu) and mashed potatoes, golden buttered corn and yams. For dessert they'd had warm brownies and vanilla ice cream. Now they were resting beneath a beautiful tree. Danny had his head on her lap. He was practically asleep. Sam giggled to herself. He slept so peacefully. It was almost like he was dead, but that was a silly thought. Her Danny couldn't die. He simply couldn't leave her.

His time was soon, very soon. With the last of his strength he opened his eyes. Sam was looking down at his with a gentle, understanding smile. Her eyes shone with the faint sheen of tears, tears long since cried now run dry. Her right hand still cradled his cheek in her hand while the other stroked his hair. Danny never felt more loved.

He breathed in slowly and, with his last breath said, "Sam? I'm happy."

Sam looked down at her beloved. His eyes glowed with his love for her. His smile was pure and sincere. She knew that he would never leave her. He was happy. With the knowledge that they would be together for the rest of eternity she answered him, "Danny, I'm happy too."

Danny closed his eyes for the last time, exhaling his last. His heart slowed and stopped. His spirit rose out of his body and soared to the heavens where he would stay to wait for his lover.

Sam continued to pet Danny's hair, to comfort his corpse. She never knew he left.


	11. The Gift of Power

A/N: Happy birthday, Danny Phantom SG-1! I finally got the oneshot done! It only took me glances at watch six hours. Six hours of deleting, retyping, and brainstorming for better words and ideas. For some reason, this was the hardest oneshot I have ever written. I have no idea why. But here it is! It's as angsty as it's going to get and there's plenty of DXS moments and Danny vs. Vlad fighting. There's blood... gore... I'm going to shut up now and let you read it for yourself. So...

Please read and review! Now let's get this birthday fic on the road!

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The Gift of Power

A shrill wind whistled through the trees. With it came memories of a cold night, a blood red lake, and…

Sam shook her head. She was on patrol. She didn't have time to reminisce. Though sometimes it was good to remember. After all, what good were promises if you couldn't remember them? She laughed to herself… or at least tried. It came out as a sob. It still hurt. After all these years the wound never faded. It never healed. The best gift she had ever been given was the one wound nothing could ever take away or hide.

Sam flew closer to the forest where it had happened. She looked down at the blackened earth. Nothing had changed. The grass refused to grow. Animals didn't shelter there. The trees never regained their leaves. The place was silent and ominous, telling a tale of death and eternal mourning.

"_Hey Sam!" Danny called to his girlfriend. He took a seat next to her on the grassy hillside. "Happy birthday!"_

_Sam smiled. "Thanks and hey to you too. So, what's the surprise?"_

_Earlier that day, Danny had told her that he couldn't give her his gift at the party. 'Too many people' he had said. Sam had agreed. She had suspected that he was going to do something with his ghost powers for her birthday. Lately he had been flying home by himself instead of walking with her and Tucker. Not to mention the fact that Tucker had accidently let slip a slight detail. Something about ice…_

"_Close your eyes," Danny said. Sam did as he asked. She heard Danny get up from beside her and walk away, down towards the lake._

'_He isn't?' Sam thought to herself. 'He is, isn't he?'_

_A moment later she could hear the quiet hum of his powers working. A slight chill radiated from the direction of the lake and, after several minutes, she heard a slight sigh of relief._

"_It's… Ah!"_

_Sam's eyes flew open and she nearly screamed at what she saw. Danny had been blasted backward into the beautiful ice sculpture of a rose that jutted out of the lake, spreading its surreal petals over the water. The momentum of Danny's flight caused the flower to topple over. Several hundred pounds of ice fell on the ghost boy._

"_Danny!" Sam yelled as she raced down to the lake. "Danny?!"_

"_Happy birthday, Samantha," greeted a chilling voice from behind her._

Sam landed by the lake, standing in the exact spot she had stood in when Vlad came. She looked at the water. She could still see the blood.

"_What do you want, Vlad?!" Sam asked in outrage, attempting to hide her fear and worry._

"_My present," he said simply._

_Sam blinked. Present? What present? Why should he get a present? Unless…_

_Vlad smirked condescendingly. "Don't you know, girl? You're not the only one who has this birthday." He leaned close until his face was inches from hers. Sam fought the urge to back away and run. The man smelled horrible. "And like all people, I want my birthday wish."_

_Before he was able to say more, a solitary green blast erupted from the water and smacked into him. Following the blast was a young black and white clad ghost._

"_Danny!" Sam yelled in relief and genuine happiness. If several feet of water and junks of ice weren't separating them, she would have run over and hugged him until either she or he turned blue in the face._

The ghostly woman stared at her reflection in the lake's surface. She had changed a lot since that day. Back in her high school days, people used to say that she freaked them out. They had said she was miserable and nearly impossible to get along with. They were wrong. She was happy back then. She was miserable now.

Her hair had grown in and was now whiter than paper or snow or light. It was whiter than his hair had been. Her eyes were orange, as strange as that sounds. Her "uniform" consisted of a long, flowing white skirt and a sleeveless white shirt. Both had orange rimming. She didn't wear gloves, boots, or netting. Her outfit was as simple as it could get. It was as simple as her.

_Danny teleported from where he floated to in front of Sam. He landed softly on the grass. Glancing over his shoulder he asked, "Are you okay?" _

_Sam nodded._

"_Good." He returned his gaze to their enemy who was getting up. The evil half ghost was grinning. That was never a good sign._

"_Daniel…"_

"_Go away, Vlad," Danny said in warning, cutting off his opponent._

"_Not without what's mine!" the evil ghost cried as he lunged forward. Danny followed suit and rushed towards Vlad. The two met in the middle, clasping hands as they fought for dominance. They shook and growled. Their powers flared and sparked. A heat wave rose up around them as the confrontation escalated. _

"_Nothing here is yours Vlad," Danny muttered through clenched teeth. _

"_That's where your wrong, Daniel. Your powers are MINE," the vampiric ghost responded in a low animal-like growl._

_Danny's eyes widened in shock. Vlad took this moment of surprise and tossed the boy over his shoulder. Danny landed with a thud next to a tree. He slowly pushed himself up._

"_Where did you get that idea?!" he asked. Without thinking one hand crept up his body to his chest. His fingers brushed his insignia, the representation of his identity._

"_I got it from my wish for your death!" and with those words Vlad pulled out his latest invention, a small gun-like weapon with red patches intertwining with white lines. He aimed it at the boy and fired. One red flash later and Danny was lying motionless on the ground, green light surrounding him._

_Without thinking, Vlad dropped is gun on the ground and stalked towards his present. He had eyes only for his wish._

_Sam hadn't said a word the whole time. She had stood silently on the side lines watching the two bicker and fight. _

Now she drifted to the spot where Danny had lied. The memory was still crisp in her mind. It was as if it had happened yesterday. She remembered the way his head was tucked slightly beneath one arm. How his right hand was pressed firmly against his insignia, as if to ward off anyone who wished to take his powers. She recalled with perfect clarity how his hair had fallen over his eyes. His face had been shadowed. Any fear, pain, or anger he'd experienced was hidden from his ruthless arch enemy. She remembered all of it.

As the memories flickered across her mind's eye, she took a seat at the foot of the tree Danny had died under.

_Sam narrowed her eyes. Rage like nothing she ever experienced flooded her like a tsunami. It crashed into her mind wiping out all thought. There was only one thing left for her to do: kill Vlad. _

_The soon-to-be murderer snuck up behind her target. She stooped down, picked up the gun, and aimed it at her lover's assassin. _

"_Hey Vlad," she called. He turned around. One flash of red later and he too lied motionless under the tree right next to Danny. He lied on his back, staring blankly at the sky. His mouth hung open in unspoken surprise. Happy birthday Vlad._

_Sam stood as motionless as the two dead enemies. The gun hung loosely in her hand at her side. Her eyes were emotionless. If someone had walked by at that moment they would have thought her a statue._

Sam gazed into the distance. She was lost in her memories. Her eyes were glazed over and unfocused. If someone had walked by at that moment they would have thought she was dead.

_Sam sat next to Danny on the ground. She had maneuvered his body so his head rested on her lap. She stroked his hair. It was a beautiful white. It reminded her of feathers, light and airy. As she sat there, she tried not to think. She didn't want to cry. Danny wouldn't have wanted that._

The goth turned ghost hunter tried not to cry as apparitions from her past floated before her. One large, ugly body belonged to Vlad. The second smaller one belonged to Danny. They hung in midair floating just off the ground. Neither moved. Both scared her more than any ghost she faced.

_Sam choked back a sob. Her lip quivered. It was her birthday and her best friend and lover was dead. He lay cold and unyielding in her arms. Or did he? His body spasmed, jerking to life. His eyes slowly opened and he gazed up at her in confusion._

"_Sam?" he said in a dry, reedy voice. "Sam."_

"_Danny?!" She leaned down and softly kissed his lips. "Oh, Danny! I thought…"_

_One gloved hand pressed against her mouth. He shook his head. It pained him to move. His body longed to lie still in the ground. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust._

"_Sam… not much time."_

_Sam shook her head vigorously. "No, Danny. Don't say that." She fumbled with her cell phone. "I'm calling for help. We'll get you to the hospital…"_

_He zapped her phone. Sparks flew over it. Sam dropped it and glared at Danny. "What are you doing?! Do you want to die?! Do you want to leave me all alone on my birthday?! DO YOU?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "All I've ever wanted was you, Danny. I love you. I love you so much…"_

The white clad ghost sat beneath the trees staring fearfully at the ghosts of her past. The fear she had felt in her past welled up in her, fear that she had suppressed for nearly a decade. It rose up in her like a monster rearing its head. Its claws gripped her throat. She wanted to cry, but she didn't.

"_I love you too, Sam. But I can't live. Death is here, but I still have to give you my birthday present." He smiled sadly and pulled his hand away from his chest. The glow surrounding him faded into nothing till he became a black hole in space. The only part of him that still glowed was his hand._

_Sam stared at the soft light coming from his clenched fist. It looked like he was holding stars in his hand. The light was warm and comforting. It reminded her of love._

"_Do…" he gulped, "you want… me, Sam?" he said haltingly. _

_Sam nodded. "Of course I do, Danny. That's why I want you to stay!"_

"_Will you… want me for…ever?" his voice was coming softer now. He was drifting farther and farther from her. It wouldn't be long before Death had him for good._

"_Y-es," Sam answered. She couldn't stop the tears now._

They were streaming down her face.

_With one shaking hand she took his hand in hers. His fist opened to reveal a single orb of perpetual light._

"_It's beautiful," she gasped. She touched it. The light phased into her hand. As it did, Danny faded faster into oblivion._

"_Sam…"_

The ghost of Danny stood before her, her hand in his. "…Phantom, I take you as my bride."

She nodded and both faded from the earth.

* * *

A/N: Well, what did you think of it? Please, please press the little blue button and tell me! I love to know what my readers think! So, happy birthday again DPSG-1! I hope you (and everyone else) liked it! 


	12. Merciful Music

A/N: cries This has to be one of the saddest things I've ever written. sniffs You'd think after I read Shining Zephyr's "Guardian's Song" (btw, read this!) I would never write any angst or tragedy ever again. But, nevertheless, the muse of misery forced me to type this up. Evil muse. So... grab a box of tissues and sit down.

If you've ever watched Danny Phantom, you'll know that when the title comes up it says "By Butch Hartman". My name isn't Butch Hartman. I'm not even male. I'm female. Very, very female. Therefore, I do not own Danny Phantom.

Please read and review. I'll give you a cookie... holds out a tray of cookies Please...!

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Merciful Music

Roses. I had a bouquet of them wrapped in thin purple paper. They reminded me of him, beautiful but somewhat dangerous. There were fourteen of them. One for each year of his life. I've been trying to be careful with them, but I think it's a lost cause. They're already wilting and I only got them fifteen minutes ago. I don't know what I've done wrong. Maybe they need more water and fresh air.

Hospitals can be pretty stale. That's where I am now. I'm in a hospital. No, I'm not there to be treated. I'm there to see someone, my brother, Danny Fenton. Perhaps you know him or have seen him. You probably have, but you more than likely know him by another name. Danny Phantom. Sound familiar? It should. He saved your life and the world as you know it.

Even on the ground floor the hospital looks white and pristine. The floors are waxed and I can see my reflection in the tiles. I can see the bags under my eyes and the red veins. I can see how my hair is frizzed. It looks like I got electrocuted. My clothes are rumpled, wrinkled like I just got out of bed. My skin is a white no human should ever be. I look like the walking dead. I am dead in a way. No, not in the way my brother is… though perhaps if I was I could save him somehow. But it's too late for that.

The elevators are as clean as the floors. The metal walls gleam unnaturally. The handle bar that surrounds the middle looks like it has never been touched. There is not a single finger print on it. As I stare in wonderment at it the elevator gives a jerk and we, the three others and myself, are off. The numbers three, six, nine, and twelve are pushed on the little keypad. My floor is the ninth. The first to get off is a young nurse. She has too much lipstick on. The second to get off is a little girl. I think she might be lost. The third is me. The last person on, the one going up to the twelfth floor is an elderly gentleman. His hair is as grey as the sky outside. Wrinkles pull at his skin till it looks like dripping wax. One of his eyes is clouded. The other is an earthy brown. He has obviously seen many years and experienced more than I currently know, but that's not what I am thinking about. I'm jealous of him. Not for myself, but for my brother. This man has had a full life something my brother, who has done more than this man ever could have, will never have!

I push past the man as I get off. He looks at me, but doesn't seem to see me. It's like he's looking through me. I realize that I am nothing more than a window to him. He doesn't see me, but somebody else.

His small mouth opens and I see that he only has a few teeth left. The others have fallen out. He smiles sadly and says, "A full life does not indicate a happy one. Sometimes a short life can be filled with more joy and love than one that has spanned several centuries." The door closes as he says his last words. The lights above the elevator show his ride up to the twelfth level.

I don't think much about his words. My mind is miles away from the present. All I can think about is the unfairness of it, of the betrayal. My brother has served this city with the utmost dedication. I've never known anyone with more loyalty and steadfastness, of someone so selfless and true than my brother. Yet his greatest asset has been his downfall.

As I enter his room I see a boy, a man really, who has lived a thousand lifetimes in fourteen years. His once full, thick ebony hair is now nothing more than a few lack-luster strands clinging desperately to his pale skinned head. His formerly vibrant blue eyes are now faded and staring into space. If I were to pull back the covers I would see a frail body, whose ribs would stick out grotesquely, breathing ragged breaths. But that's not the worst part. It's really his skin. Yes, it is pale, but that's not all it is. No, to add insult to injury, the poor boy's skin is blotched with green patches… ectoplasmic green blotches. They stick out like white deodorant stains on a black shirt. They scream mutiny louder than a thousand drunken pirates. The powers that allowed Danny to save Amity Park from ghosts is now killing him more effectively and more tragically than cancer. Why? I don't know. My parents don't either. Originally, Danny's ghost half meshed well with his human half. As Danny learned how to use his ghost powers those very same powers seemed to grow more cooperative and tame. But they weren't. Now they're destroying the savior of this town. They're eating him from the inside out. It won't be long before he's nothing more than a pile of goo.

I knock on the wall and he looks up. His dull eyes regain some of their original shine. He smiles. His whole face seems to light up and he looks somewhat more alive. It's at times like these when I think maybe there's a chance that he can be saved, that he can overcome this as if it were nothing more than a common ghost haunting the town. Then he'll cough or wheeze or close his eyes in agony and I know that those hopes are false. He's not going to overcome this because his biggest enemy is himself. He can't overcome the unbeatable force that he created… even if it was by pure accident.

"Hey, Jazz!" he croaks in greeting. The flowers in my hands die a little more.

I gulp. "Hey, Danny!" I say as cheerfully as I can. A petal falls to the floor. "I brought you flowers today. I thought they might make this room a little brighter. Hospitals are so dreary."

He nods slowly. Another petal falls. "Thanks! Can you put them on the table over there? Yeah, that one. Put them in the vase; they look like they could use some water. Thanks."

I do as he says. I put them on the table next to him. My hands are shaking. I've been thinking a lot.

Another petal falls as Danny coughs. He coughs for a full minute. For a while I think he's going to bring up a lung. Then the coughing subsides and the former ghost boy is left breathless. Another minute later he manages to talk again. "Sam came by today."

"Oh. What did she bring this time?" I ask as I fidget with the hem of my shirt. The longer I'm here the more nervous I get.

"She brought me some books. They're on the other chair." He points to the chair opposite me. I pick up the books and look at their titles. Dante's Inferno,The Five People You Meet in Heaven,One More Day,Unwind, and Macbeth.

I look in horror at Sam's book choices. They're all about death! "Has she even read these herself?!"

Danny smiles ruefully. "Yes, she has."

"Why would she bring such… such…?" I'm at a loss for words. Hypocrite, my conscious says.

"Yeah, she's read them. Jazz, don't blame her. I asked her to bring them for me."

I stare at him. "What?"

"I want to know. What happens when a person dies? Where do they go?" I see the fear in his eyes. It's blackness that hides behind those dull sapphires. It's a ghost that's haunting him, yet another he's powerless to get rid of. Somehow I know that the fear alone could probably kill him. He wants to know before it's too late. And the longer I stand here staring the closer he gets to death and I know it won't take him gently. It'll be violent with him. It'll hurt him more than this cancerous disease is because it's a blind, faceless phantom. It's an enemy he doesn't know. Death always is. I want to spare him that.

"I don't know, Danny," I finally answer. "I'm sorry."

"I know, Jazz. It's okay. I know you don't know, but still…" His eyes tear up. Another petal falls. "I wish I knew. It's killing me! What's going to happen to me when I'm gone? I know what will happen to my body, but what about _me_? Where do I go? To heaven? To Hades? To the bottom of the Nasty Burger's dumpster? Where?!" He's almost in tears. Then he falls into another coughing fit. The green splotches on his skin seem to glow. Another petal falls.

This scene alone convinces me. I need to save my brother. He doesn't deserve this torture.

"I have to go to the bathroom, Danny. I'll be right back," I tell him when his fit ends. I run out of the room before he can respond. I run straight to the nurses' station.

"Excuse me," I say to a young nurse behind the counter. Her hair is sticking up in a bun all on its own. She put too much hairspray in this morning. "My brother is in a lot of pain right now. I think he needs his meds."

She nods stiffly, like her hair, and grabs some pills. I follow her back to Danny's room. She enters, hands Danny his pills and a glass of water, and walks out without saying a word. Danny gives her an odd look.

"About as nice as a cactus," he mutters before swallowing the first of his pills. He'll become drowsy after this. Another petal falls. "None of them tell jokes… or," he yawns, "talk or…" he coughs, but not as bad as before, "or smiles." His eyes begin to shut. "Jazz?"

"Hmm…" I look up. I was staring at my shoes. Right now they're rather interesting. My hands are shaking pretty bad. My heart is thudding louder than thunder. Sweat is pouring down my back. My throat is closing.

"Will you tell me a story… about before?" I know what he means.

I nod, not trusting my voice very much though I will have to soon.

I sit down next to him on the bed. I pick up his hand and hold it. I can feel the bones. They're soft now. They're just twigs hidden by flesh. His body is a weak tree, one that was powerful at a time, but the poison of that power has now taken that strength away. But it has left a strong spirit even if the shell is as fragile as glass. Another petal falls.

I gaze outside the window. My brother had a good life. He's smiling now. He's dying and he can still smile. That's an accomplishment few could achieve at such a young age. He deserves a good story.

I take a deep breath and think. I feel the air pass through my lungs. What does my brother feel when he breathes? I wonder.

"Once upon a time," I begin, "there was a king. He lived in a huge castle made of glass and roses. He could see outside and he did so often. He would look out at his kingdom and smile. It was the most beautiful place on earth and he ruled over it."

Danny smiled sleepily. Two more petals fell.

"It was made of roses," I continued. Tears threatened to fall. "The people, they were roses. And… They're petals fell. Once all the petals fell, they died. And their ruler, he didn't want them to die. So he cast a spell. He cast it one night and…" I paused. I needed a glass of water. I also needed a tissue; my nose was running.

I got up and grabbed a glass. I filled it with water, but my hands were shaking so badly that most of the water spilled out. I barely got a drop out. I grabbed a tissue and blew. My knees nearly gave out. I was a wreck.

"Jazz…"

"Hmm…?" I turned and stared at my defenseless brother. I stared at his weak little body.

"Can you…" he yawned while three petals fell, "finish the story please?" He coughed faintly. He barely had enough strength to even show signs of illness.

I nodded and walked to the side of his death bed. I snatched a pillow off a chair and clutched it to my chest. My fingernails dug in leaving holes in the soft, fluffy object. Sniffing, I continued my short, pointless tale. "The king cast a spell over the land so nobody would lose their petals. But… when he did, his continued to fall. The people watched as his petals fell. They were sad but there was nothing they could do. And he smiled, because they were okay. 'I did what I had to,' he said. 'I saved you.' Then his last petal fell and he was gone. But he was okay," I said quickly. "He went to a great garden in the sky where he could watch over them. He watched them all the time. And sometimes he could talk to them if they listened hard enough." I couldn't continue. I looked at my sleeping brother through tearful eyes. He was so still and the room was so quiet. All I could hear was the beeping of the machines, the soft breaths of Danny, and my quick, guilty ones.

"Danny?" I asked softly.

No answer. The last petal fell.

I looked at the clock. Nine in the morning.

I stared at my brother's face. He was still smiling. He was smiling in the face of death. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve this pain, this torture. He was an angel! He was made of roses and of glass. He was fragile, beautiful, and… he didn't deserve this! He just didn't!

Why?! Why did the angels place him on this earth so he could live a life full of prejudice, injustice, and betrayal? Why did he have to sacrifice everything so that a few people who didn't deserve the lives they lived could live those very lives?! Those fools! They walked up and down the streets. They drank their coffee and their tea. They gulped down whiskey and inhaled cigarettes. But they couldn't take the time to say thank you to the one person who stood by them and protected them every single bleepin' day of his life! Why?

I cried silently to myself as I rocked back and forth clinging to the pillow. This pain. This pain that I felt in my heart for Danny, it had been there since the first second I saw my brother trip on air and fall to the ground shaking from the disease that was destroying him this very instant. I'd felt it rack my core of all sanity. There was nothing left. I just didn't want him to feel this. It was wrong, so wrong.

"Jazz?" said a soft voice. A soft, dry, withered cough followed. I looked into those pain filled eyes. It was over.

"What, Danny? Do you need more pills?" I asked quietly. I could barely hear myself speak. Please say yes. Please say yes. Please…

He shook his head and my heart sank to the floor. "I'm…" He started coughing again. Blood came up. "I'm ready… to know what happens when a person dies."

"No, Danny. No. You're not ready."

I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was. It was I who wasn't.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"Don't be."

Slowly, ever so slowly, I brought the pillow up and covered his face. Before it came down, he winked at me. Even in his final moments, he mocked death. Then again, that's what a half ghost is. He was one who could walk the line between life and death and be scorched by neither. In the end, his soul was untouchable. He was a great explorer wandering realms no other dare tread. He was an intrepid traveler seeking enlightenment from occult people. In that moment, I wondered how much he really knew and if, this whole time, he wasn't just playing the role of the ignorant, dying teenager when, in reality, he knew more than any human ever should. It was a distinct possibility. After all, he had to be good to fool Vlad, the dirt bag.

I felt his body shake and buck, trying to save itself. I was stronger. I wish I wasn't. About ten seconds later I heard the long drone of the heart monitor stating its cry of alarm. Feet pounded on the clean, spotless floor outside the door.

I gently picked up the pillow to see the wide, glassy eyes of my brother staring at nothing. He was still smiling.


	13. Madness

A/N: Well, you could call this a variation of one of my previous oneshots, Home. This time, Danny's having some identity issues. You'll see what I mean. By the way, this is a songfic. The song is Lose Control by Evanescence. This means that I do not own the song. I wish I did. I wish to the heavens that I could write that good. While I'm at it I might as well say this as well: I do not own Danny Phantom or any characters presented herein. If you have the urge to sue someone, sue Nick for canceling the show and all other decent shows that they once possessed, but threw away for the garbage they're showing now.

Please read and review! Thank you.

* * *

Madness

Danny Phantom stomped down the street. He was in a bad mood to say the least. His fists were clenched tighter than normal. Green eyes blazed with a feverish light that even in the bright afternoon sunlight glowed visibly. He walked stiffly, stumbling periodically from a previously dislocated knee. As he speed walked down the sidewalk he muttered incessantly about "her" and "her stupid weapons" as well as "her freaking ectophobia". All these symptoms of obvious aggravation lead people to move out of his way. For the most part, the better part of Amity Park trusted Phantom, but, secretly, they all feared what he would do if he got a little too mad. So is it really trust?

"She just shoot me with the blasted weapon," he continued to grumble. He rounded the corner and stared at his school. "And they just had to change the name of the school."

Sure it was nice that people were starting to appreciate him and his efforts to protect the town, but did they have to change good ole Casper High to Phantom High? Was that entirely necessary? And how about the new school colors? Black and green. Even the football jerseys mimicked his ghost costume to some extent.

A billboard near the school blared its colorful message of the newest in a line of DP movies to be released before the end of the month. Danny glared at that too. He hated seeing his face plastered, without permission he might add, onto a billboard of all things advertising this or that. This time, movies. A couple of weeks ago it was milk. Towards the beginning of the month, his almost naked body appeared on the front of a magazine for _skin care_. Apparently the mere fact that his ghost half lacked acne or any other blemishes was enough for make up marketers to jump the oh so swell Danny Phantom bandwagon. And to add insult to injury, there was nothing he could do about it without risking the truce he drew up with the city… Of course, the truce lacked Valerie's consent. She didn't sign it. She couldn't "stand the idea of letting a ghost walk… er, fly free."

"I hate this. If I'm not being hunted, I'm being used. Why can't I just be left alone?"

Danny rubbed his eyes. Man did he have a headache. When were those rotten pain killers going to kick in?

/I don't think pain killers can get rid of me,/ smirked a voice freakishly similar to his own.

"What the heck?" Danny exclaimed as he jumped nearly two feet into the air. He looked around him. People continued to pass him, giving him some strange looks, but otherwise not really in any way showing that they would talk to him. So where had the voice come from?

/You don't know me do you?/ asked the voice.

_You don't remember my name._

Danny looked over his shoulders. Still no one. Who was talking to him?!

/Oh well. Most teenagers can't figure out where they end and where their peers begin. Individuality is really lacking in this century./

_I don't really care._

"Where are you?" he asked as he found an isolated spot to "talk to himself". He couldn't figure it out. He didn't see anyone talking to him. His ghost sense didn't go off meaning no ghost was near by. So who was talking to him? Unless… "Am I talking to myself?"

/Finally! Recognition! Took a while but I eventually came up with a mind of my own./

"What do you mean? Am I insane? I must be insane. Crazy people hear voices… them and anime characters, but I'm not an anime character so I shouldn't be hearing voices!" His voice rang out with the harshness of someone obviously in emotional agony. School completely forgotten and the effects of Valerie's new power- depleting weapon gone, Danny leapt into the sky… and ran straight into the billboard. "Stupid, lousy, bleepin' sign!"

/That is a bad picture of us, isn't?/

"No bleepin' duh!" Danny answered while considering giving the offending picture the finger. After a moment of contemplation he figured a little kid might see him and he really didn't want to corrupt the young. That was wrong and uncalled for.

/Oh come on! Live a little. It's not your fault if someone looks up,/ the honey-coated voice persuaded.

"Perhaps not my fault but that doesn't give me a right to do it," Danny said, not quite as certain as he was before. Anger and peer pressure can do that. Or perhaps it was insanity.

_Can we play the game your way?_

/But you have a right to express your opinion, excuse me, our opinion. We are sentient creatures, aren't we?/

"Yes, but we have to set a good example," Danny said through clenched teeth as he flew back home or wherever he was going. He wasn't sure. He couldn't see past the red tinted world of his frustration.

/And isn't teaching children to express their emotions rather than repressing them setting a good example?/

_Can I really lose control?_

"No! I mean, yes! I mean… Blowing stuff up isn't setting a good example!"

The voice laughed. /You said it, not me./

Danny stopped and landed on a building. He wasn't sure which one it was, but it was good enough for him. "But that's what you were suggesting!"

/No I wasn't. I didn't even suggest giving the board the finger. That was your idea. I simply agreed with you./

Pacing, Danny pulled at his hair. The obnoxious voice was right.

/And by the way, I'm not just a voice. I'm you. I'd prefer a name./

"What do you want to be called? Annoying?"

/No, I think I like the name Phantom better./

_For once in my life…_

"Screw that! I'm not calling you Phantom!"

_I think it'd be nice…_

/Oh, but you want to./

_To just lose control just once_

"No! Phantom's suppose to save the town and do good stuff. You're not good! You're evil, whoever you are!" Danny shouted. He faced the billboard and screamed at since it was kind of hard to scream at himself. If anything, he needed something tangible to focus his growing anger at.

/So you're evil. Face it, human half, we are one in the same and if I'm evil you're evil and vice versa. You want to destroy stuff. I want to destroy stuff. You and I want to prove ourselves worthy of recognition. And there's only one way to do that./

_With all the pretty flowers in the dust_

"Shut up!"

/No, this is the truth and like or not you need to hear it./

"It's not the truth. It's a lie! You're a lie! You don't exist! You can't exist! If we're one in the same you couldn't talk to me!" Danny raved as he paced furiously, leering at the picture of his ghost half.

_Mary had a lamb_

/Yes I can exist because you exist! So long as you're here so am I!/

Danny took a step towards the advertisement. He leaned towards it as he yelled and, in his mind, the picture seemed to the same. "That's great, but I can't talk to myself. A mind can't split in half and started yapping back and forth!"

/What do you call schizophrenia then?/

"Insanity! That's what!"

/So what does that make us?/

"Nothing! There is no 'us'," he sneered. His whole face was contorted, eyes darkening.

_His eyes black as coals._

Below, people overheard the yelling. Well, they overheard a one-sided conversation. A lot of phone dialing occurred. The number called, the Fentons.

The crazed ghost continued to have his stand off with the billboard. Helicopters roared overhead. He didn't even realize it.

_If we play very quiet, my lamb_

Video cameras were focused on him. In Phantom High, students sat around television sets watching the town hero argue with the advertisement. Their eyes were wide, mouths dropped open. Parents at their homes and work places shook their heads in disappointment. For a while there, they were convinced the ghost boy was good. What did this prove?

_Mary never has to know._

/Just go ahead and do it. Shoot the idiotic thing,/ the voice encouraged.

"I want to but I'd rather shoot you!"

/You'd shoot yourself you moron!/

"No I wouldn't. You're not me!"

/Yes I am!/

"No you're not!"

/Am to./

"Are not."

/You're making a fool of us./

"I am not!"

/What do you call those news stations?/

"What?"

Finally, the roaring reached Danny's ears and he fell to his knees in shock. Where'd they come from?

The helicopters moved in closer. Some of them landed on nearby buildings, the reporters jumping out of the machines and lining the roof tops all in an attempt to get a good shot of the crazy ghost.

For a brief instant, Danny felt a combination of fear and sorrow well up in him. But that was only for an instant. Then came the fire.

_For once in my life_

"Hey, ghost boy! Who were you yelling at?" shouted a reporter over to him. His red coat flapped in the breeze the way a bull fighter's red cloth waves in front of a bull's face.

"Are you angry about the billboards?"

"Is it true that you shop at Target?"

The voices of the reporters clamored in his ears as did the voice in his head.

/One shot. Just one. And these fools will leave you alone for good./

_I think it'd be nice_

Their questions battered his mind and his precious sanity like waves on a beach. They shook him to his core. The frivolity. The shallowness. He was in a perpetual rage and they had the nerve to come up here and disturb him?! Couldn't they at least respect his privacy? They took away his right to object to the advertisements, must they also take away this?!

_To just lose control just once_

/They have the nerve human. You should have some too. Think of them as ghosts, ghosts of humanity. Corrupted and out to steal what's rightfully yours. Just one shot. One shot only. And you can shut them up. Do it and prove it. You earned your right to be left alone! Take your shot! Now!/

_If I cut you down to a thing I can use_

Dark green eyes followed the whirling helicopter arms. They travelled down to the moving lips and the rolling cameras. Each and every movement attracted his eyes as moths are attracted to light.

_I fear there'd be nothing good left of you._

Finally, his arm shot up, hand glowing and he took aim. The reporters backed up in terror and the too little, too late realization that the ghost was very, very mad. They watched as the emerald light condensed into a condensed orb in the palm of Phantom's hand. With a narrowing of his eyes, he let loose…

_To just lose control just once…_

The advertisement was nothing but a pile of ashes when he was done.

* * *

A/N: Did you like it? I thought he concept was pretty neat. Wouldn't have written this if I didn't think that. Was he insane? Was the voice his ghost side amplifying his feelings? Was it Vlad (everything seems to be his fault after all)? I don't know. Tell me what you think! I'm curious to see what reasoning you came up with. Thank you! 


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